This invention relates to a connector used for connecting wires or the like.
Various electronic equipments are mounted on a vehicle. Wire harnesses for transmitting electric power, control signals and others to the electric equipments are installed on the vehicle. The wire harness comprises a plurality of wires, and connectors. The wire is a so-called sheathed wire comprising an conductive core wire (conductor) and an insulating sheath covering this conductor.
Related-art connectors 101, shown respectively in FIGS. 9A through 11B, are used as such a connector. Each connector 101 comprises male terminal fittings (not shown and hereinafter referred to as “male terminals”), a connector housing 102, and an inner holder 103.
The male terminal is formed of an conductive metal sheet or the like, and includes a wire coupling portion and an electrical contact portion. The above-mentioned wire is electrically and mechanically connected to the wire coupling portion. The electrical contact portion is formed into a plate-shape, and is continuous with the wire coupling portion. The electrical contact portion is inserted into an electrical contact portion of a female terminal fitting provided in a mating connector adapted to be fitted with the connector 101, and is electrically connected to the electrical contact portion of the female terminal fitting.
The connector housing 102 is made of an insulative synthetic resin, and is formed into a tubular shape. As shown in FIGS. 9B, 10B and 11B, the connector housing 102 has a plurality of terminal chambers 104 for respectively receiving the male terminals. The terminal chambers 104 are formed linearly, and are arranged parallel to one another. The male terminals are received respectively in the terminal chambers 104 in such a manner that the electrical contact portions of the male terminals face a first opening 102a of the connector housing 102 while the wire coupling portions of the male terminals face a second opening 102b of the connector housing 102.
The inner holder 103 is inserted into the connector housing 102 through the first opening 102a. The inner holder 103 is mounted in the connector housing 102 in such a manner that the inner holder 103 is retained on an inner face of the connector housing 102. The inner holder 103, thus mounted in the connector housing 102, is slidable between a provisional engagement position (shown in FIGS. 9A, 10A and 11A) and a plenary engagement position (shown in FIGS. 9B, 10B and 11B).
In the provisional engagement position, the inner holder 103 allows the male terminals to be inserted respectively into the terminal chambers 104 through second opening 102b, and also allows the male terminal to be withdrawn respectively from the terminal chambers 104 through second opening 102b. In the plenary engagement position, the inner holder 103 prevents the male terminals from being withdrawn respectively from the terminal chambers 104 through second opening 102b. In the plenary engagement position, the electrical contact portions of the male terminals project from the inner holder 103 toward the first opening 102a. 
A hooked portion 106 is formed in the inner holder 103. The jig 105 is inserted into the connector housing 102 through the first opening 102a, and a distal end portion 105a of the jig 105 is hooked over the hooked portion 106 so that the inner holder 103 can be moved between the provisional engagement position and the plenary engagement position by the jig 105.
In the above related-art connectors 101, particularly in the plenary engagement position, the electrical contact portions of the male terminals project from the inner holder 103 toward the first opening 102a. Therefore, particularly when the distal end portion 105a of the jig 105 is to be hooked over the hooked portion 106 so as to move the inner holder 103 from the plenary engagement position to the provisional engagement position, the distal end portion 105a is sometimes accidentally brought into contact with the electrical contact portion of the male terminal.
When the distal end portion 105a of the jig 105 is brought into contact with the electrical contact portion of the male terminal, the electrical contact portion of this male terminal is bent in some cases. There are occasions when the thus bent electrical contact portion of the male terminal cannot be connected to the female terminal in the mating connector. Further, when the distal end portion 105a of the jig 105 is brought into contact with the electrical contact portion of the male terminal, there is a probability that the electrical contact portion is bent, and is separated from the wire coupling portion, thus damaging the male terminal, in the worst case.